Choosing Birthdays

Our agency told us, that most often than not, the birthdays of the children are unknown.  Most folks out in the villages don't have a calender.  Plus, Ethiopia is on a different calender than we are.  They just celebrated New Years and it is now 2002.

So we were told that we could pick out our children's birthdays, for their birth certificates.  Wow.  What a task.  Since everyone just guesses at how old they are now.  Although, our litle boy's father did know how many months old he was, when he brought him to the orphanage. 

Note:  I'm waiting to find out if we are allowed to mention their African names on our blogs.  Ethiopia has strict laws about things like that.  We are not allowed to post any photos until they are legally our children.  We are going to use their African names as part of their American name. 

So our oldest girl's name will be Rachel ___ Hope.  She is now 5.  We figured she was born in 2004.

Our little girl's name will be Sarah ___ Joy.  She is now 3.  She was probably born in 06.

Our little boy's name will be Samuel ___ Joshua.  He just turned 2.  He was born in 07.

So Charlie and I sat down and prayed about what their birthdays should be.  The Lord is the only one who really knows.  And as we prayed the Lord brought scriptures to our minds, and I started writing them down.  And as I did, I noticed a pattern.  That is how we chose their birthdays.

Praying for Rachel Hope, the Lord gave us:
Genesis 29:17  RACHEL was lovely in form, and beautiful.
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you HOPE and a future.

Rachel Hope's birthday will be 04/29/04.

Praying for Sarah Joy, the Lord gave us:
Genesis 17:15 ... her name will be SARAH...
Romans 8:15  For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of Adoption.  And by him we cry, "Abba, Father."
Duet. 16:15  For the LORD your God will bless you in all your harvest and in all the work of your hands, and your JOY will be complete.

Sarah Joy's birthday will be 06/15/06

Praying for Samuel Joshua, the Lord gave us:
Joshua 1:8  Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
Psalms 1:1-3 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.  But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.

Samuel Joshua's birthday will be 08/01/07.

We were going to make it 07/01/07, but Charlie felt like the Lord said take Joshua 1:8 and make it 8:1.  So we did.  Later, Charlie did some math and found out that there is exactly 40+7 days between Rachel and Sarah's birthday and 40+7 days between Sarah and Samuel's birthday.

I looked up what the numbers 40 and 7 mean in the Bible.  I found out that together they the most commonly repeated numbers in the Bible.

"40, whether days, months, or years is ALWAYS a period of testing, trial, probation, or chastisement (but not judgment) and ends with a period of restoration, revival or renewal.  Some examples: the Israelites wandered for 40 years; Moses was living on the mount for 40 days; the story of Jonah and Nineveh lasted 40 days; Jesus was tempted for 40 days; and there were 40 days between Jesus’ resurrection and his ascension."

"Various references in the bible point out that the number '7' signifies God’s number and Divine perfection, for He is the only One who is perfect and complete."

Isn't The Lord good?